Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-04-22
BILL NYE ON COURTESY.

|
sprouting annual passes at this critical
season of the year. have filled me with
chagrin and alarm. writes the genial
humorst TO The Boston Globe. While
| have never been in any way the
creature of corporation, yet for sever
al years / have been moro or less in.
favor OF railroads. l have been in
favor of restricting them in measure.
and have done what could to restrict
them. and yet we have managed to get
along smoothly together, the railroads
and myself.
had been uniformly courteous to
the railroads, in return for which the
railroads had been courteous to me.
The pass provision of the interstate
commerce bill looks to me like blow
at courtesy. Can we "a Americans az
ford to sacrifice courtesy when we only
have barely enough to squeeze along
with ? think not.
| hope that have made it perfectly
clear that this is not purely a personal
matter with me. am looking toward
the greatest good to the greatest
number. SO far as am concerned
personally, | am abundantly able to
pay my fare. But it will restrict my
travel. shall not hereafter travel
just to obtain new ideas and write
about them to those love. will use
my old ideas. They are getting pretty
thin on the seat. perhaps. but / can
use them until the next session Of con-
gress. at which time this offensive
clause of the innocuous commerce bill
will be repealed. 1t will be repealed
on the first day of the session by a
rising vote.
Some newspaper men claim that they
feel a great deal freer if they pay their
! fare
This is true, no doubt; but too much
freedom does not agree with me. 1t
makes me lawless. sometimes think
that n little wholesome restr elton is
the best thing in the world for me.
That is the reason | never murmur at
the conditions on the back of an an
nual past. Or course they restrict me
from bringing suit against the road in
, case of death, but l don't mind that.
In case OF my death it is my intenti on to
lay aside the cares and details of busi-
ness and try to secure change of
scene and complete rest. People who
think that after my demise | shall have
nothing better to do than 70 hang
around the musty. tobacco-spattered
corridors Of courtroom and wa it for
verdict of damages against n court
eous railroad company do not thor
ougly understand my true nature.
But the interstate commerce bill
does not shut out the empl oye! Acting
upon this ght sugges ton Of hope. |
wrote a short time ago to Mr.. St.
John, the genial and whole souled
General Passenger agent of the Chica-
CO. and Rock Island & Pacifi Road, as
follows:
AsHEvILLE v c., February 10, 1857.
E. st. John, G.. p. A, c.. r. |. IL p. Railway,
Chicago:
DEAR SfR-Do you not desire an cmploye on
your charming roadl | do not know what ii
is to be an employe, for was never in that con-
dition, but pant to be one now.
OF course | am ignorant OF the duties Of An
employe, but have always been a warm friend
of your road and rejoced in It's success. How
are your folks' Yours truly,
COLONEL BILL NYE.
Day before yesterday | received the
following note from General ST. John.
printed on purple typewriter:
CHICAGO, February 10, 1857.
Colonel Bill Nye Asheyille, y. c.:
SHINY folks are quite well.
Yours truly, F. ST. JONI.
also wrote to General \. V. III. Car
penter. of the Milwaukee road. at the
same time, for we had correspondence
come back and forth in the happy past.
| wrote in about the following terms:
AsHEvILLE, y. c., Feb 10, 1857
A. V. II. Carpenter & p. A. C., VI. " st. 2.
Ry., Milwaukee, Wis;
DEAR sIR-How are you fixed for employees
this sprngl
feel like doing something OF that kind, and
could give you some good Inducements from
prominent people both at home aud abroad.
What does an imploye have to dol
II can help your justly celebrated road any
here In the South, do not hesitate about men
tioning it.
l Am still quite lame In my left leg which
was broken In the cyclone, and cannot walk
| without great pain.
Yours with the kndcst regards,
BILL NYn.
have just received the following re-
ply from Mr. Carpenter:
MILWAUKEE Wis, February IA, 1887.
BILL NYE ESQ, Ashevlle, " c;
| DEAR SIR-You are too late. As / write
this letter there Is a strsg OF men extending
| from my Office door clear down to the Soldiers
! Home All of them want to be employees.
| This crowd embraces the senate and House OF
Representa- tives OF the Wisconsin Legislature,
State officials, judges, journalists jurors jus
tees. OF the peace, orphans, overseers OF high
WAYS, fish commissioners pugilsts, widows OF
pugilists, ETC., etc aud they are all about AZ
| a h.. .vaI